1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a connector and to a connector assembly with a partial connection preventing function.
2. Description of the Related Art
A connector for an airbag circuit of an automotive vehicle or for other critical circuits may be constructed to prevent the connector from being left partly connected during a connecting operation. U.S. Pat. No. 6,241,542 and FIGS. 14 and 15 herein show such a connector. With reference to FIGS. 14 and 15, the connector has a male housing 1 and a female housing 2. A lock arm 3 is formed on the male housing 1 and is deformed resiliently while moving onto a lock 4 on the female housing 2 as the housings 1, 2 are connected. A slider 5 is assembled with the male housing 1 and is held by the deformed lock arm 3 so as not to move backward. A spring 6 in the slider 5 is compressed by a rib 7 of the female housing 2 and accumulates a biasing force for separating the housings 1, 2. The biasing force of the spring 6 is released if the connecting operation is interrupted with the housings 1, 2 only partly connected, and the housings 1, 2 are separated forcibly.
The lock arm 3 returns to engage the lock 4 when the connectors 1, 2 are connected properly. Additionally, the lock arm 3 disengages from the slider 5 during the return of the lock arm 3. Thus, the biasing force of the spring 6 is released to move the slider 5 back. At this time, a restricting portion 8 of the slider 5 enters a deformation space above the lock arm 3 and prevents the lock arm 3 from being deformed. In this way, the housings 1, 2 are held in their connected condition, and connection reliability of the airbag circuit can be improved.
The two housings 1, 2 may have to be separated for maintenance or for some other reason. Thus, the slider 5 is moved forward to retract the restricting portion 8 forward from the lock arm 3. The lock arm 3 then is deformed and disengaged from the lock 4 and the male housing 1 is pulled back.
The separation of the two housings 1, 2 requires the slider 5 to be moved forward and then requires the male housing 1 to be moved back. However, operability has not been good because the male housing 1 and the slider 5 must be operated in completely opposite directions.
The present invention was developed in view of the above problem and an object thereof is to improve separation operability.
The invention relates to a connector with a housing that is connectable with a mating housing of a mating connector. The housing has a lock arm that moves onto a lock on the mating housing and deforms resiliently in the process of connecting the two housings. The lock arm returns to engage the lock when the housings are connected properly. A slider is movable forward and backward substantially along a connecting direction of the housings between a deformation preventing position where the slider prevents deformation of the lock arm and a deformation permitting position where the slider permits deformation of the lock arm. The slider engages the resiliently deformed lock arm in the process of connecting the housings and is prevented from moving forward from the deformation permitting position. A pivotal member is pivotal about an axis arranged at an angle, and preferably a right angle, to the connecting direction. The pivotal member has a first end directly or indirectly pushed by a pushing portion of the mating housing in the process of connecting the two housings. At least one biasing member is provided between the slider and the second end of the pivotal member provided behind the slider. The biasing member is deformed resiliently and accumulates a biasing force to separate the housings as the slider and the second end of the pivotal member are displaced toward each other.
The lock arm is deformed resiliently and moves onto the lock when the two housings are connected. The deformed lock arm engages the slider to prevent the slider from moving forward from the deformation permitting position toward the deformation preventing position. The first end of the pivotal member is pushed by the pushing portion of the housing in this state. Thus, the pivotal member is pivoted about its supported portion, and the first end of the pivotal member is displaced back and the second end thereof is displaced forward. At this time, the biasing member is pushed forward by the second end of the pivotal member and is compressed resiliently between the slider and the pivotal member.
If the connecting operation is interrupted halfway, the biasing force accumulated in the biasing member is released to separate the two housings forcibly. This prevents the two housings from being left partly connected.
The lock arm returns to engage the lock when the housings are connected properly and the slider is freed from its locked state by the lock arm. Thus, the biasing force accumulated in the biasing member thus far is released to move the slider forward to the deformation preventing position. At this stage, the slider prevents the resilient deformation of the lock arm. Accordingly, the two housings are held firmly and properly connected with each other.
The two properly connected housings can be separated by first moving the slider back from the deformation preventing position to the deformation permitting position. The housing then can be pulled back from the mating housing and the lock arm is deformed resiliently to disengage from the lock.
The biasing member is pushed forward and is deformed by the pivotal member in the connecting process. Thus, the slider can be moved forward by the biasing force of the biasing member released when the two housings are connected properly. Separation operability is good since the slider is operated in the same direction as the connector housing is separated.
The slider, in the deformation preventing position, preferably is in a deformation space for the lock arm to prevent deformation of the lock arm and the slider, in the deformation permitting position, is retracted from the deformation space to permit the resilient deformation of the lock arm.
The lock arm and the lock may have a semi-locking construction. More particularly, at least one of the lock arm and the lock may have an unlocking guide surface for guiding disengagement of the lock arm from the lock by resiliently deforming the lock arm when a force of a specified intensity or higher acts to move the housing back. Thus, the lock arm is deformed when the slider is moved back from the deformation preventing position to the deformation permitting position during separation of the housings, and is guided through a disengagement from the lock by the unlocking guide surface. Accordingly, the lock arm is freed automatically from the locked state and separation operability is good.
The housing preferably comprises a support for supporting the pivotal member in a posture held substantially in contact with the biasing member before the two housings are connected.
The biasing member can be pushed and resiliently deformed by the second end of the pivotal member when the two housings are connected.
The slider comprises a holding arm for preventing the slider from moving forward from the deformation permitting position. The holding arm is engaged resiliently with at least one holding portion on the housing. At least one of the holding arm and the holding portion has a disengagement guiding surface for guiding the disengagement of the holding arm from the holding portion by resiliently deforming the holding arm when a force of a specified intensity or higher acts to move the slider forward.
The slider can be held at the deformation permitting position until the connectors are connected. Thus, the connecting operation can be performed with the slider at the deformation permitting position and operability is good. The holding arm and the holding portion have a semi-locking construction. Thus, the holding arm is deformed when the biasing force of the biasing member acts to move the slider forward during the connecting operation and is guided to be disengaged from the holding portion by the disengagement guiding surface. As a result, the slider is permitted to move forward to the deformation preventing position and separation operability is good.
A movable member may be movable on the housing, and the pivotal member may be pushed by the pushing portion of the mating housing via the movable member.
The pivotal member preferably is at an initial position before the connector housings are connected, and a spring contact portion of the pivotal member is held in contact with the biasing member. At least one portion of the pivotal member preferably is held in contact with at least one support of the housing. Thus, the pivotal member is supported at the inclined initial position.
A pushable portion of the pivotal member preferably is held in contact with the moving member when the pivotal member is at the initial position.